1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to adjustable height package retainers for holding packages on a refrigerator door.
2. Description of Related Art
It is desirable to fit as much as possible into one refrigerator. It has been found that storing items on the shelves on the door of a refrigerator is one way of fitting more items into a refrigerator, while still allowing easy access to the items in the refrigerator.
By nature, the door of a refrigerator is continually opened and closed. It has been found that the food items stored on the shelves on the door of the refrigerator, if not properly retained on the shelves on the door, may fall from the shelves while the door is being opened or shut. As this situation is not desirable, various ways of retaining the items on the shelves have been devised. One way of keeping the items or packages on the shelves is to install a fixed bracket, or rail, on the door in front of the packages, thereby preventing the packages from tipping while the door is moving. Unfortunately, such a configuration is typically not adjustable. Therefore, shorter or smaller packages are difficult or inconvenient to access because the bracket is in the way. Further, taller packages may tip over and fall out. Generally, it is not possible to install a fixed bracket at such a height that will accommodate the wide range of package sizes that one may desire to store on a shelf on the door of a refrigerator.
Because of the inherent problems with non-adjustable package retainers, adjustable height package retainers have been devised. However. these package retainers have a variety of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that some of the package retainers are designed to adjust by pivoting about a fixed point. As a result, the width of a package that can be accommodated on the shelf changes as the height of the retainer is adjusted. Another problem with the adjustable height package retainers of the prior art is that they are typically constructed using several parts and their assembly can be difficult. A further problem with these pivoting package retainers is that they can be difficult for the user to adjust. Finally, many of the adjustable height package retainers can not be locked in place and as a result, the packages on the shelf are allowed too great a freedom of movement and unwanted tipping can occur.
Accordingly, prior to the development of the present invention, there has been no adjustable height package retainer for a refrigerator door which: can accommodate packages of equal width at all heights of adjustment; is constructed using few parts; is easy to assemble; is easy for the refrigerator user to adjust; stays in place after adjustment; and prevents unwanted tipping of the packages stored on the door of the refrigerator.